Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
INSTITUTE OF SOUND AND VIBRATION RESEARCH
MSc Audiology Year: 2002-03




Module Specification



Unit/Module Code: Module Title:
IS611 Paediatric Audiology


1.Basic Information
 
Department responsible for the module ISVR
Programme MSc Audiology 
Also available to MPhil/PhD students registered in ISVR
Timetable Semesters 1 and 2
Session 2002-03
Credit Value 20 CAT points (=200 hours) Level M
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Module Lecturers Mr C A Verschuur
Mrs S L Flynn
Ms S A Wood
Mrs E J Wood
Mr D Evans
Contact cav@isvr.soton.ac.uk
Formal Contact Hours 36 hours (48 lectures)
Private Study Hours 164 hours own study time
Coursework Examination 
External Examiner Dr G J Sutton 
Last Approved  
Last Revision  
Course Web Site www.isvr.soton.ac.uk/audiology/msc_aud.htm 
 
 
2.Description
 
2.1Aims
 
  The aims of this module are to:

  • To provide a general overview of the development of the child's auditory and other general skills (motor, speech/lanaguage, cognition) and how this impacts on hearing assessment.
  • To review epidemiology of permanent childhood hearing impairment; principles and practices of hearing screening and to review the evidence on benefits of early intervention.
  • To present and discuss the theoretical basis for hearing assessment in children.
  • To introduce you to the scientific and clinical principles underlying auditory rehabilitation of children with hearing disorders.

2.2Objectives (teaching)
 

 		 the objectives of this module are to:

  • To equip you with sufficient scientific knowledge of a range of paediatric auditory test techniques, both objective and behavioural, to be able to apply and interpret such techniques given appropriate clinical experience.
  • To describe the scientific principles underlying amplification for children with hearing disorders, particularly in relation to speech audibility and intelligibility.
  • To describe the major epidemiological, educational, medical and psychological concepts necessary to understand of children's hearing loss.
  • To develop your understanding of the management of the hearing impaired child.
 
2.3Objectives (planned learning outcomes)
 
 Knowledge and understanding
Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the following areas:
    >li> The scientific knowledge base and rationale behind those tests commonly used in the diagnostic assessment of hearing in children of different ages.
  • An understanding of the principles behind scientifically validated paediatric hearing aid fitting formulae and the principle of optimising speech intelligibility for hearing-impaired children.
  • An understand of the implications of hearing impairment in children for speech, language and educational development and the relevance of pre-school intervention programmes and different forms of habilitation in managing and ameliorating the effects of hearing impairment.
 
 Cognitive (thinking) skills
  Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to:
  • Evaluate alternative paediatric audiological test techniques appropriate for different age groups.
  • Synthesise audiological information form a range of sources and analyse to develop a suitable testing strategy for an individual child.
  • Interpret paediatric hearing test results in terms of their implications for management.
  • Interpret paediatric auditory test results in terms of their implications for auditory impairment and disability and likely consequences for development.
  • Evaluate the appropriateness of different forms of management of the hearing impaired child, including approaches to hearing insterument selection, verification, fitting, evaluation and monitoring.
 
 Practical, subject-specific skills
Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to:
  • Select appropriate hearing test methods for a given child for specific cases).
  • Evaluate test conditions and procedures necessary for assessment of children of different ages.
 
 Key transferable skills
Having successfully completed the module,you will have skills in:
  • Synthesis of information from different areas, including recent research findings.
  • Synthesis of practical and theoretical information in hearing assessment and hearing aid fitting in children.
 
 
2.4Teaching and Learning Activities
 
 Teaching methods include
 
  • 1.5 hours lectures a week in formal classroom setting. Typical class size is 16-20 students.
  • You need to work in your own time to supplement lectures and practical skills and able to go to the module lecturers for assistance.
  • Discussion of paediatric assessment and rehabilitation issues at the case presentations of audiological cases seen.
 
 
 Learning activities include
 
  • directed and self-directed reading
  • you will be set informal assignments up to three per module, with feedback during lectures.
 
 
2.5Methods of Assessment (summative assessment)
 
None
 
2.6Feedback to students during module study (formative assessment)
 
  • Tutorial assistance from module lecturers as required.
  • Previous examination papers with model answers made available.
  • "Spot tests" during lectures (approx. three in total during the module).
  • Practical assessment of hearing aid fitting techniques during "hands-on" lectures.
 
2.7Relationship between the teaching, learning and assessment methods
 
  • The examination tests your knowledge of specific procedures, techniques and terminology of commonly used paediatric hearing assessment.
  • The case presentation seminars enable clinical discussions to take place and issues relating to paediatric assessment can be raised in this context. This requires synthesis of information from different test results, analysis of test methodology and results and interpretation of test results and clinical strategy.
 
3.TOPICS COVERED
 
  • Epidemiology, aetiology and risk factors
  • Principles and practice of hearing screening
  • Benefits of early intervention
  • Child Development
  • Behavioural tests of signal detection including: Behavioural Observation Audiometry (BOA), Distraction Test, Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA), Performance Tests and Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA)
  • Behavioural tests of speech recognition
  • Objective test techniques
  • Central auditory processing disorders
  • Sound field calibration
  • Auditory neuropathy
  • Effects of hearing impairment in childhood
  • Family Support
  • Hearing impairment and audibility of conversational speech
  • Management of middle ear effusion
  • Hearing aid fitting methods
  • Desired sensation level fitting method: theory and practice
  • Hearing aid fitting procedures for children
  • Hearing aid evaluation procedures
  • Hearing aid review clinics
  • Cochlear implants
  • Remote microphone systems
 
4.RESOURCES
 
 Core Texts
  AUTHORS TITLE/EDITION/DATE PUBLISHER UNI. LIB Class Mark E.J. Richards Library
1.B McCormickPaediatric Audiology 0-5 Years (1993) Whuur Publishers, London
1-565932-39-0		WV271 MACC
1 copy		 ----
2.M SheridanFrom Birth to Five Years (1980) Nfer-Nelson, Windsor
0-85633-074-4		--- 1 copy

  Secondary Texts
  AUTHORS TITLE/EDITION/DATE PUBLISHER UNI. LIB Class Mark E.J. Richards Library
1. J Bamford
E Saunders		Hearing Impairement, Auditory Perception and Lanague Disability (1991) Whuur Publishers, London
1-870322-01-6		616.855BAM
1 copy		 ---
2. F H BessChildren with Hearing Impairment (1998) Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson
Press, Nashville
371-912HES ---
3. F H Bess
J S Gravel
A N Tharpe (eds)		Amplification for Children with
Auditory Defects (1996)		 Bill Wilkinson Centre Press,
Nashville
096314393X		--- 1 copy
4. DeConde Johnson
P V Benson
J B Seaton		Educational Audiology Handbook
(1997)		 Singular Publishing Group Inc,
London
1-56593-891-7		On Order ---
5. W McCracken
S Laoide-Kemp		Audiology in Education (1997) Whuur Publishers, London
1-861560-17-6		QX 225MACC ---
6. J L Northern
M P Downs		Hearing in Children
4th edn (1991)		 Williams & Wilkins,
Baltimore
0683065742		WV271 NOR
1copy		 ---

 
 Other library support
 
The ISVR's E J Richards Library houses some relevant journal 
 
 Staff required
 
As well as the course organiser who contributes to lecture content, a further five lecturers contribute to course delivery, setting and marking of exam questions and informal support on course content 
 
 Teaching space, layout and equipment required
 
A lecture room with 30 seats and desks is required for 2.25 hours a week for the duration of the course. The room should be equipped with overhead and slide projection facilities, and blackboard and/or whiteboard. The regular use of a data projector is required. Use of a dedicated computer room (in ISVR) is required for independent learning and for completion of the assignments. The main lecture room is specially equipped for hearing-impaired students. 
 
 Laboratory space required
 
None 
 
 Computer requirements
 
These are provided by the Department (see above) 
 
 Software requirements
 
Microsoft Office and access to on line journals and web pages 
 
 Off-campus activities
 
None 
 
 Part-time/distance learning students
 
 
 
 Other